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with valentine’s day on the horizon, i was thinking about the whole grand haul of “items” that seem to be overflowing the aisles lately.

i don’t wanna be a valentine’s scrooge, but hear me out while i let loose on those “hearts” and “flowers” and “balloons” and “cards”, and whatever “valentine contraptions” they seem to wanna sell me, my husband, my children, and, well, you.

i do not think love is in the purchase of an item. it does not live in the glorious fragrance of million dollar roses, nor does it exist in the purchase of one of those 2014 valentine’s bears.

i hate to be the bearer of such unlovely news, but it’s true.

like i said, love is an action, and being an action, I really don’t think it’s in the act of buying.

although, i’m going to have to go against myself here and say that when a young child buys you flowers or candy or even that 2014 valentine’s bear, this whole “idea” of mine does not exist. just a disclaimer there.

anyways, like i was saying… love is an action. so what does that mean?

does that mean i wait for my husband to deliver breakfast to me in bed, do i await him to take me out to dinner, and have him write mea beautiful poem professing his love?

hmmm…i think not.

instead, i ought to make him breakfast in bed, take himout to dinner, and write him a beautiful poem professingmylove!

it’s not in the things, rather in the actions we show one another.

so, with that being said, i’d like to give you some valentine’s ideas that is not just for valentine’s day, but a love-action guideline to go by throughout your relationship with your special someone..

here goes:

hold hands/make them breakfast/write a poem about your love/draw a picture/make them coffee/share that cup of joe together/watch Netflix/let them pick the movie/listen with eye contact/give them a massage/create a song and sing it/make them a smoothie/praise one another/walk on the beach/have a bonfire/encourage one another/make a special cd with all of their favorite songs/make them hot cocoa with marshmallows cutout in the shapes of hearts/take them hiking/have a picnic/snuggle/listen with eye contact/give them your favorite seat/pick up the dog poop/pick flowers and make your own bouquet/give up your right to be right/give them your jacket to wear if they’re cold/be the first to say you’re sorry/make their favorite meal/go to a museum/look at the stars/and i just can’t say it enough, but listen with eye contact.

they’re lots of great ideas to show you love someone…whether that someone is romantically linked, a family member, a friend or your kids…love one another fearlessly, and enjoy the people who are the best parts of your life.

show them the true meaning of love is in our actions, in our behaviors, in our attitudes towards one another! give them your very best!

I have been homeschooling now for 6 years! Seems longer. Seems reeeeally longer!!! Hahaha! But I have learned that even tho I’ve been attempting to school these wee lil ones here at home, they’ve been schooling me.

Prior to this entire idea of homeschooling entering my cranium, I was entirely too self-absorbed, impatient, loud, and really impossible! That’s not to even suggest that I am perfect now, not even for a nanosecond. But I have grown. And I do believe it’s been because of the experience of homeschooling. My level of patience now is far loving than 6 years ago. I seriously did not want to homeschool for the safety of my children!!! And that is not a joke!

Being a Christian, I am constantly trying to be perfected, not perfect, but perfected. Improving and trying to do a better job than the day before is a constant goal of mine. I fail miserably, but so have many wonderful people who excel at such wonderful things. In failing, it doesn’t mean we have to give up. But what it does mean is there’s plenty of room for improvement. And if there’s all this room for improvement, then we have all this room to grow and keep moving forward!

This whole mentality of moving forward and growing especially applies to my wee lil ones. Just look at them! They deserve the very best. And I don’t mean the latest technological gadgets or toys or whatever might make them squeal with insane delight…no, I mean the best behavior. Before I can expect a loving and kind behavior from them, I must, with God as my strength, perfect and expect some loving and kindness from my own behavior.

And if that means watching what I say, stepping on my own eggshells, controlling my anger, cleaning up my own room, taking the log out of my own eye, etc…then so be it, that’s a challenge I’m willing to take on!

I hope and pray us to grow into a beautiful garden. Sure they’re weeds, a few bugs, and a lil dirt…but it all works together, doesn’t it? A family that is a beautiful garden where I can sit and enjoy the loveliness and sweet smell of life, and gain even more beauty by learning and failing and growing, and repeating it once and twice and forth and back over again and again…well, that is my family, my hope where ibmama.